


Metamorphosis

by Floresfire, GothicWolf03



Category: Total Drama
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, High School Drama, Slow Build, Tragic Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2016-04-12
Packaged: 2018-04-30 16:27:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5170586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floresfire/pseuds/Floresfire, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicWolf03/pseuds/GothicWolf03
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Crimson was just a regular country girl who happens to stand out from everyone else, making her an easy target for bullies. From all the pressures of high school life and the death of her parents, she shuts herself away from her loved ones and turns to the darkness for all her answers, taking on a whole new look. It’s not so dark when you have someone to share it with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here is a Crimson/Ennui story! I'm so excited because this is my OTP couple of all time in the TDR series, but there just aren't enough fanfics about them :(
> 
> Anyway, hope you guys enjoy!

This was officially the worst day for Crimson.

The sky turned bleak, dark clouds shrouding the entire town to prevent any light from entering. Few drops of rain pelted down onto the ground, its tears drenching the sullen red-head that walked alone on the road.

She closed her blue plaid cardigan, brushing the fabric closer to her body from the numbing cold. Her downcast light eyes stared at her feet, watching them trudge along the mud as she sunk into the ground, feeling the mud soak the insides of her boots.

_Great. More misery._

It was just her usual day at school: listening to boring teachers while diligently taking notes, eating alone in the courtyard during lunch, and avoiding anyone who tried to taunt her. Crimson wasn’t very popular at school; she was best friends with Dawn, the weirdest girl in school, and her tastes involved metal rock bands and dark clothing, something that was frowned upon out here in the west. She felt like the needle in the haystack, and it only got worse for her.

When the bell had rung, she wanted nothing more than to retreat into her room and blast rock music the entire day, and drown in her sorrows. What she hadn’t expected was to be called down to the front office, where the principal uncomfortably explained to her about her parents’ death.

_It was a drunken driver, he had told her. His truck smashed them off the road. The car was terrorized into pieces._

Every time he apologized, Crimson didn’t feel like listening. She didn’t want to feel his pity; he wouldn’t understand her pain—he didn’t know about the bullying or the insulting notes she got every day when she opened her locker. And her parents’ death didn’t make it any better.

So she refused him when he offered to take her home as a kind gesture. She assured him that she would rather walk to her grandmother’s house since she was the only living relative she had left. He seemed hesitant, not wanting a young girl to walk alone at a late hour, but in the end he relented and told her to come talk to him if she needed anything. Crimson could only nod before leaving the school in silence.

While she was lost in thought, the red-headed teen failed to acknowledge the half-buried mailbox on the road. The next moment she found herself falling into the mud, gasping in shock as her outfit was caked in the thick brown substance.

She winced in pain as she tried moving, her eyes gazing back at her ankle, peeling the top of her boot down to see the reddened area.

“Ouch!” She hissed, clenching her teeth together when her fingers tried lifting her inflamed ankle. Huffing in frustration, she sucked in lungful of air before rapidly hoisting herself up, ignoring the searing pain that shot up to her upper body.

Crimson limped the whole way home, the rain now down-pouring and piercing her flesh. Her whole body trembled, arms crossing over her shivering frame as she ran the rest of the way. She stepped on the front porch of her grandmother’s house, pushing the screen aside as she took off her muddy boots by the door. Drops of water fell onto the hardwood floor, though Crimson would have to clean it up once she was dry.

“Nana, I’m home.” The red-headed teen searched the kitchen, finding no one in sight. She pivoted her head to the distant sound coming from the living room, and surely enough she found her grandmother snoring on the couch to the television set.

Lowering the volume of the TV, Crimson sneaked past her sleeping Nana and climbed up the stairs. Her arms withdrew from the dirtied sleeves of her cardigan, throwing the soggy item into a bin along with her drenched shorts and undergarments. She stood there naked, goosebumps emerging on her peachy skin as she rubbed her arms in comfort. She piled through her drawers, taking out her gray panties and black pajamas before entering her bathroom. Her clothes were set on top of the sink while she started the bath, pressing a button on the boom box that sat on the counter.

The red-head sighed in relief as she submerged herself in the warm water, carefully propping her injured leg up on the edge of the tub. Hot steam flushed her face, getting rid of the cold’s icy touch.

A soft, eerie tune resounded inside the small room as the teen washed herself, soaking in the tub as she listened to the gothic music coming from the miniscule radio. She closed her teal-colored eyes, untying her pigtails as she stroked her red locks that kissed her shoulders. Sinking further down, her hair turned into a darker shade as it made contact with the water.

As her mind was at ease from the humidity accumulating in the room, Crimson couldn’t help but stray her thoughts to today’s events. As tragic as it was to know that your parents wouldn’t be there in your life anymore, she couldn’t say that she felt devastated from their loss. Sad, yes, but her parents were busy people whom never spent much time with her anyway due to their travels—reason why she has her own bedroom in Nana’s farm—thus why she often isolated herself.

She didn’t mind; she welcomed the silence.

A loud telephone ring snapped the girl from her reverie, eyes wide open as she gasped from the intrusion. In the midst of confusion, Crimson forgot to acknowledge her injured foot, so when she jumped she accidentally hit her foot against the faucet of the tub, making the red-head curse out loud.

“Shit!” She hissed, clenching her teeth as she rubbed her injured foot. She glared at the bathroom door, the ringing still incessant and demanding for her attention. Raising herself from the tub, water fluidly sliding down her smooth peachy skin, she carefully stepped out of the tub while wringing the soft towel around her moist body. “I’m coming.”

Walking over her carpet, leaving puddles of water trailing behind her, Crimson’s fingers etched towards the phone hung on the wall. Before she could reach it, the ringing stopped, and the teenager acutely listened to the pregnant pause.

 _Did she answer it?_ Against her moral judgment, Crimson curiously picked up the phone, faintly breathing so that she wouldn’t get caught eavesdropping as she listened to the conversation.

_“Jean, what a nice surprise!” her grandmother shouted happily._

_“Nana, glad to see everything is alright. Listen, sorry for callin’ at such a late hour—”_

_“Nonsense! You know you’re family, Jean. I don’t mind at all.”_

_The woman on the other end chuckled. “Thanks. My condolences for your loss, and Crimson’s as well. Is she feelin’ alright? I know how it must feel to lose your parents . . .”_

_“She’s doin’ alright. I haven’t seen her yet, but she’s probably upstairs in her room. Her boots were by the door, caked with mud. Anyway, is somethin’ wrong? You seem distressed.”_

_The woman exasperatedly sighed on the other end. “Yes. I have a teenage boy who arrived at the station, and needs a place to stay. He’s new, and I immediately thought ‘bout you and Crimson. I knew you had extra rooms, and it would be nice for Crimson to have someone to talk to after . . . well, you know . . . but of course, only if you’re—”_

Crimson lightly scoffed before realizing her mistake, instantly covering her mouth and praying they didn’t hear her. She slowly eased up a bit when none of them called her out, thinking she was off the hook.

_Nana chuckled. “Jean, I think it’s a terrific idea. I’ll take care of the boy while his parents . . . where are his parents, if I might ask?”_

_“Oh, they are still in the city. They were worried about enrolling him in the schools there, so they had him come out here to stay with his uncle, saying the rural life would be good for him.”_

_A city boy?_ The red-head never knew anyone from the city, everyone at school was around her neighborhood, and she suddenly grew anxious over her new ‘roommate’. She was worried that he wouldn’t like her; maybe he would find her weird like the rest of the kids in school and hate her for eternity. God, and she would have to live in the same house with him . . .

_“And anyway,” continued Jean, “what his parents don’t know is that his uncle was recently sent to the hospital from binge drinking. He might not survive; the man has been drinking ever since he was young, which destroyed almost all of his organs, but the kid was adamant in staying here, and I couldn’t refuse him . . .”_

_“Say no more, send the boy over to my house.”_

_“Thanks, Nana! I knew I could count on you.”_

Once the deafening click of the receiver rang in her ears, Crimson’s heart hammered against her chest, placing the phone back in its place. Her body slid down the wall, her towel tightly wrapped around her curvy form as she hugged her knees together.

The station was only twenty minutes away from Nana’s house, and in twenty minutes she would have to face a total stranger who would be staying with them for who knows how long. She bit her lower lip nervously, not caring for the metallic taste pooling in her mouth, her mind elsewhere as she could dreadfully think about the mysterious boy who would change her life.

_Will he like me?_


	2. Chapter 2

Her hands shook as she let the cool water wash the plate, turning the knob so she could feel the warm water thaw her frozen fingers. Wiping the last dish with a hand towel, Crimson piled the already dry plate on top of the others before shutting off the faucet.

“You okay, sweet pea?” She jumped from her grandmother’s sweet tone, nervously rubbing her wrist.

“I-I’m fine. Don’t worry, Nana.” Crimson helped set the table, putting the tablecloth over the wooden surface while Nana got the utensils. She then took the plates from the counter and set them in front of the chairs, hands still trembling.

“Crimson—”

“Nana, I don’t feel too good. I’m going to head upstairs,” she interrupted, already halfway out the kitchen.

“But what ‘bout dinner?”

“I’m not hungry.”

She didn’t want to glance back at the elder woman, knowing she would cringe from the disappointed look on her face. Shutting the door of her room closed, the red-headed girl made her way over to her bed, plopping down on her dark red satin sheets. She covered her face with the palms of her hands, brushing away her stray locks as she tried regulating her labored breaths.

 _I can’t do this._ She absentmindedly stared at the ceiling for a long time, the only sounds she could hear were her short pants and the soft vibrations of crickets singing in the night. They helped her mind wander away from her anxieties, instead picturing the darkness around her. Soaking in the peaceful silence, her short-lived daydreams were cut short when her ears perked up from the sound of an engine just outside her bedroom window.

_He’s here._

With slow, deliberate steps, Crimson padded her way across the threshold, drawing her curtain aside as she shyly peeked out at the elder lady that exited from the driver’s side. Her ocean eyes narrowed, trying to uncover who the unknown boy was in the back seat as the woman blocked the doorway, though her hand remained fixed on the door handle. When her eyes met with Crimson’s, the teenager rapidly concealed herself against the wall, hiding from her questioning gaze as the male stepped out of the vehicle.

Crimson stepped away from the window, refusing to acknowledge their presence as she paced around in the black abyss. She could hear the front door slam open, the excited shouts of her Nana and Jean, no doubt embracing one another. Their boisterous clamor migrated to the kitchen, and Crimson couldn’t help but feel curious. She cautiously walked out into the hallway, looking down from the top of her steps for any passerbys before slowly descending.

“Nana, I always did enjoy your mashed potatoes. Ever since I was a little kid, I remember you making ‘em every day whenever you babysat me.” Jean took a bite out of her meal, groaning in content from the delicious food.

Nana chuckled, scooping more of her mashed potatoes as she placed them on another empty plate. “Maybe I should call Crimson . . .”

“Are you sure she’s okay?” Jean genuinely asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

Nana shrugged. “She ran off in such a hurry earlier; didn’t want any dinner, she said.”

“It’s a darn shame. If you like, I can get her for you—”

The old woman shook her head, digging out the cooked pork and shoving it onto the porcelain yellow plate. “I don’t want to drive her off; let the girl come to us on her own terms.” Nana gently smiled at the teenage boy who observed their comfortable interaction, gesturing towards an empty chair by the rectangular table. “Would you like to sit, Ennui?”

Crimson patiently waited a few seconds before letting her presence known, trudging down to the bottom of the stairs as she strolled towards the kitchen. She eyed the back of the young man’s head, heart beating rapidly and her skin becoming flushed as she watched him silently eat. “Hi, everyone.”

Jean smiled gleefully, collecting the stiff girl in her arms. “Crimson! I’m so glad to finally see you. You look beautiful, as always.”

“Thanks.” Tugging her black sleeve down, she tensely reached for her own plate and served herself.

“Oh, Crimson. I have someone for you to meet. This is Ennui.”

She could feel their observing eyes trying to dissect every fraction of her movements, every intricate detail of her body language as she finally glanced up from her spot. Her breath hitched in her throat when he too looked at her, almost letting her fingers unfurl their hold from the plate she was currently holding.

Crimson hadn’t expected to gawk at him, entranced by his intense brown eyes adorning his emotionless face as they scrutinized her reaction. The red-headed girl banished the faint murmurs in the background, focusing her attention to the grim line set upon his chiseled face.

_Is he upset with me?_

“Hi . . .” she lowly replied, breaking the spell as she sat down across from him, head down.

He only gave her a curt nod before digging his fork into his food.

Throughout the whole meal, Crimson pretended Ennui didn’t even exist, picturing a silent ghost in his spot. She hardly ate, only taking a few small bites of her pork, a sickening sense in her stomach whenever the brown-haired male stole secretive glances at her. From her peripheral vision, she could see her grandmother and Jean animatedly talk about one of their earlier cherished memories, though Crimson didn’t have the heart to care, offering weak smiles whenever they peered her way.

Goosebumps erupted all over her skin as he mutely looked her way again; she fidgeted in her chair before abruptly getting up, hitting her leg against one of the table legs, capturing everyone’s attention from her strangled cry.

“Sweet pea, are you alright?”

“F-fine” she stammered. She watched Jean approach her, fervently reassuring the middle-aged woman that she was well until she lifted her pant leg to inspect the swollen bruise.

“You’re hurt!” Jean shouted. “Why didn’t you mention it before?”

Crimson hurriedly swatted her hand away, effectively hiding her injured foot. “I’m okay, really.”

“But if it’s not treated—”

“Don’t worry,” the teen sternly replied, her steely eyes silencing Jean. “I’ll . . . be in my room if anyone needs me.”

Even in the prolonged silence, Crimson felt his eyes bore into her soul, watching her every move as she painfully strode further away from them.

* * *

 _Crap, I should’ve treated this earlier._ Crimson eased herself onto her sheets, wincing in pain whenever she bent her ankle. Elevating her injured foot on top of her pillow, she released an exhausted sigh she never knew she held in. Her fingers lightly grazed over her ankle, feeling the scorching flames warm her palm. _Wish I had ice . . ._

Her head shot up from the furtive knock on the door, thinking it was her grandmother or Jean coming upstairs to check-up on her. “Come in,” she softly replied, rubbing her ankle.

She didn’t raise her head up from the heavy footsteps across her carpet; she didn’t want to face a lecture from her grandmother or Jean about her odd behavior in the dining room. She rolled her eyes, shifting in her bed to become more comfortable.

“Look, I’m sorry about what happened, but I can take care of myself,” she said, waiting for the barrage of words to come hitting her at full force in regards to her carelessness.

“Doesn’t look like it.” Her hands froze from their ministrations, regarding the faint musky smell and the deep monotone voice that lighted the flames inside of her. She warily watched him sit in front of her, careful not to touch her sprawled leg.

It was then she saw the ice pack held in his grasp. Her eyes widened, seeing him gently attend to her wound.

 _He brought that, for me?_ She couldn’t help restrain the faint blush that threatened to rise across her cheeks; never had she had a boy go through any trouble for her.

“Thank you,” she stated once he finished.

“No problem.”

She tug a strand of her red hair away from her face, aware that he was still staring at her with a stoic expression. “Do . . . do you need anything?”

He nodded. “Where do I sleep?”

“Oh, the guest room is just across from here.” She pointed towards the closed oaken door on the other side. “And the bathroom is just next door, if you need to shower or anything . . .”

“Okay.”

Crimson was upset when he rose from the bed, though she didn’t visibly express her disappointment from his departure. She never realized how tall Ennui was until now, roaming over his muscular frame that accentuated underneath his plaid sleeved cardigan and dark jeans. He wasn’t overly bulging with muscle like most football players in her school, yet he wasn’t lanky either, and she happened to appreciate that.

When he turned around, arm casually leaning against the door-frame, she assumed he would ask her something else judging from his parted lips. But those words died off as he changed his mind, shaking his head as he hit the door-frame.

“Rest up,” was all he demanded before shutting the door and leaving the country girl to ponder over his kind gestures.


	3. Chapter 3

“Don’t you know anything about him?” Dawn inquired, munching on her sliced carrots while sketching in her notepad.

Crimson shook her head, biting her apple. “Most of the time he stays in his room, except when it’s time to eat. I haven’t talked to him all weekend.”

“Hm.” The blonde girl dozed off, head cutely titling to the side while she rapidly outlined a quick sketch of the blue bird siting in its nest above them.

It was already lunch time, everyone eating and goofing around inside the cafeteria and others sitting outside on the patio tables. The two best friends didn’t join with the hoard, instead choosing to meet up at their usual place underneath the shady oak tree where they enjoyed the solitude.

The red-head secretly glanced behind her shoulder, frowning when she couldn’t find Ennui. _Maybe he’s still touring the school,_ she mused, remembering the perky head president of the senior class wasting no time in showing him around, and Crimson mentally laughed from Ennui’s uncomfortable expression.

“What are you drawing?” Crimson asked, carelessly throwing away the apple core onto the green earth. She wasn’t a polluter; Dawn had always pestered her so much about giving back to Mother Nature and feeding the smaller organisms that the concept had stuck itself inside Crimson’s head. And, in a way, the blonde girl made sense, something that was very rare.

“Oh, I was just drawing that bluebird.” She slightly stuck her tongue out, eyes concentrated on the detailed drawing while she applied the finishing touches. “There!”

Crimson softly smiled, admiring her friend’s masterpiece as she leaned closer. “It’s beautiful, Dawn.”

A hand suddenly reached over the gap between their shoulders, snatching the sketchbook with a harsh tug as Dawn gasped in protest. Both girls instantly stood up, facing the male ginger and his cohorts sneering at the drawn image.

“Lookie here, Dawn can draw tiny birdies.” Everyone laughed from his cooing, arms crossed over their frames as they watched their leader tower over the infuriated blonde girl. “Aw, don’t gimme that look.”

Dawn’s face flushed red, steam practically coming out of her ears. “Scott, give me my notepad back!”

He seemed to ponder over her suggestion for a fraction of a second, a smirk gracing his freckled face as he loomed closer to her, making the girl cower back. “Oh, looks like the hippie grew a backbone. What happened to being nice? Don’t you like everyone, _Dawn_?”

Crimson’s hands clenched against her sides, blue eyes glowering behind his back. She didn’t need to think; her hand had already reached his arm, roughly spinning him around so he could gawk at her threatening death glare.

“Look, we don’t want any trouble, so why don’t you give back her sketchbook and pretend this never happened?”

“And who are you to tell me what to do, _freak_?” he hissed, glancing down at her dark red and black attire disapprovingly. “Crawl back to your dark corner where you belong.”

Before he could divert his attention to the innocent blonde, Crimson had gripped onto the sketchbook behind his back. She sighed when his fingers released its hold on the edge of the book, tossing the book back to Dawn, who caught it below with both hands.

But she didn’t anticipate Scott lunging at her, pushing her onto the ground and kicking her with his feet.

“No, stop it!” She could hear Dawn’s cries, her blurry vision seeing the girl being restrained by Scott’s lackeys.

Crimson coughed fervently when he managed to kick her ribs, specks of blood spewing onto the ground in front of her. Her trembling hands tried hoisting herself back up, but his foot effectively managed to kick at a sore spot on her sides, making the red-head tumble back onto the ground.

“Ha! How do you like that, freak?” His incessant assault never ceased, and Dawn’s sobs intensified, causing several onlookers to curiously watch the fight, no one daring to stop the scene from going any further.

_I can’t move . . ._ Her body felt numb, as if a hundred pounds was weighing her down. Her stomach reeled, she could taste the bile on her tongue along with the metallic taste of her own blood. Her lungs didn’t have enough time to regulate her breathing, her pants coming out in short wheezes.

When she saw him extend his leg back, she shut her eyes and prepared for his onslaught. What she hadn’t expected was for Scott to be rammed into the bark of the ginormous tree, screaming for help as a fist collided with his face.

Crimson relished the fresh air, breathing in as much air as her lungs could gather. Feet slowly kneeling over her, she made an effort to rise from her spot, wiping the blood from her mouth by using the back of her sleeve. Her eyes widened as she watched Ennui roughen Scott’s face, the male ginger feebly calling out to his friends.

“Crimson!”

Dawn steered the battered girl away from the fight, quickly grabbing her water bottle and tugging it in her friend’s hands. “Drink it, you’ll feel better.”

The red-head groaned in response, rapidly swallowing the refreshing drink. She sighed, rubbing her eyes as she tried focusing on her surroundings.

The other two minions didn’t stand a chance against Ennui, the brown-haired male shoving Scott against the tree before knocking them out with one punch to their faces. His chest heaved, eyes intently examining Crimson in worry before focusing his attention on the bloodied teen behind him.

Scott yelled, cringing from Ennui’s scary expression. “I-I-I’m sorry!”

“Say that to Crimson and her friend for what you did to them.”

“Fine!” He held back Ennui’s fist, nervously glancing back to the young girls. “I’m sorry!”

Crimson could hear shocked murmurs circulating throughout the crowd, no doubt they were shocked to hear Scott’s apology. If it was one thing everyone knew about the snarky male was that he never apologized to anyone before. Ever.

“Ennui, wait.”

Her fingers touched his bicep, feeling heat radiate off his body in powerful waves. She cautiously rubbed it in comfort, meeting his questioning eyes. The red-headed teen offered him a reassuring smile, glad to see his arm slowly retreat to his side and the other dropping Scott onto the ground.

Scott heavily panted, seething back at the two dark people. “You’ll be . . . sorry . . .  You two are freaks . . .” With that final statement, he cowardly ran away from the courtyard before Ennui could snap back at him.

Crimson sighed, lingering on Scott’s retreating form until she felt large hands brush away her stray locks, startled by Ennui’s soft gestures. She felt herself faintly blush, awkward from the sudden touch.

“You okay?” he asked.

She nodded. “Fine.”

“I sense a dark aura near us,” Dawn offhandedly replied, breaking the intimate atmosphere as the trio peered behind at the principal making his way towards them.

“What is the meaning of this?” The plump man rubbed his bald head, glancing between Crimson’s disheveled appearance and Ennui’s hands that had traces of dried up blood, assuming the worst. “Young man—”

“Wait, he didn’t do anything wrong!” Crimson hurriedly replied, cutting off the principal.

“Yeah, it was Scott. He attacked us, and Ennui came to protect Crimson,” Dawn confirmed.

The bald man chewed on his lower lip, eyes sternly gazing back at Crimson with a hint of concern hidden beneath his gray orbs. “Is this true?”

“Yes,” Crimson nodded without hesitation.

He seemed to mull over this information, facing the taller male in front of him. “Young man, I will deal with this matter personally with Scott. As for you, seeing as how you’re new, I’ll let this off as a warning. The next time I witness a fight in my school, I won’t be so lenient. Understand?”

Ennui grimly nodded.

“Good.” The short man turned towards the crowd, raising his hand in the air. “Alright, back to class, all of you!”

“Crimson.” The red-head girl looked to Dawn, concern flitting the blonde girl’s features as her gray eyes searched hers. She didn’t seem to follow the other kids, instead choosing to stay close to her. As much as Crimson appreciated the sentiment, she didn’t want Dawn to suffer the wrath of her teacher for being late.

“You go on ahead. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay . . .” Dawn pouted, hugging her best friend before silently heading back inside the building with her head down.

The red-headed girl rubbed her arm, taking one step before suddenly collapsing. If it wasn’t for Ennui’s strong arm around her frame, she would’ve passed out on the ground.

“Hey, hang in there. We’ll get you to the nurse.”

Crimson blearily nodded, head lolling to the side as her hand reached for her side, recalling Scott’s strong kicks against her chest. She felt a lumpy bruise form, and she didn’t need to roam over the rest of her body to know that there were similar bruises that encompassed her entire body.

She couldn’t hear his pleas, the pounding ache in her head ringing in her ears, blocking out everything as she fainted in his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys :) Here is another chapter; I'll be adding more tomorrow after I finish editing and such

Her eyes fluttered open, cringing from the bright light that blinded her vision. Even though her sight was blurry, she could faintly gaze at the white walls surrounding her and the blue chairs against the wall in a line. Crimson put a hand to shield her face, gently sitting up from the bed, the white sheets slipping from her shoulders.

The clock on the wall ticked, her light eyes watching the long, black hand meet the twelve and the lower hand over the three. She groaned, not believing she had been out all this time, especially when school ended over an hour ago.

_Nana would worry . . ._

The door abruptly opened, and the school nurse mutely walked into the room so as not to disturb the frail girl. However, when the nurse saw that she was awake, the older woman rushed to her side and steadied the girl like a mother hen. “Feeling better?”

Crimson weakly nodded, arms stretched over her head and her back arching, hearing a small crack in her joints. “Fine . . .”

The nurse smiled, pleased to hear her speak without trouble. “We’ve tried contacting your Nana several times, but no one picked up the phone.”

The red-head teen sighed in relief, remembering that today was the day Nana went into town with her friends, and most of the time her grandmother wouldn’t return home until late at night. Crimson didn’t mind; the last thing she needed was for Nana to worry about her condition. And if she ever found out about the bullies who tormented her every day . . .

“Please, don’t tell Nana,” Crimson whispered.

The nurse stared at her in bewilderment, not comprehending her odd request. “But someone has to take care of you. You took a fatal blow to your ribs, but luckily nothing was badly damaged. Nonetheless, you may experience an uncomfortable sensation . . . who else lives with you?”

“Ennui,” she hurriedly replied. “Ennui can look after me.”

“He’s living with you?” The nurse’s cheeks flushed in alarm, shifting in her seat from the news.

“Yeah, Nana and I are letting him stay for his education. He was supposed to be with his uncle . . . but things got complicated,” the teen explained, praying the nurse didn’t think so lowly of her.

The woman relaxed a bit, nodding her head in understanding. “If you feel okay, we can leave from this dreary room. He’s been waiting outside, you know.”

Crimson’s heart fluttered inside her chest, her fingers shyly playing with the end of her pigtail. _He waited_ , she happily thought, the warmth spreading throughout her body as they exited the room and into the waiting area where a couple of administration staffs passed by. From the corner of her eye, she saw him rise from his chair, silently walking towards them. The next moment she was wrapped in his embrace, inhaling the musky scent on his shirt and listening to his labored breathing, and she couldn’t help but return the gesture.

Ennui gestured to the nurse, shrugging Crimson’s backpack over his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Of course! If you need anything else, let us know. I’d recommend staying home for a few days,” the last part was firmly directed towards the red-headed teen, but Ennui nodded for her before the nurse waved goodbye to the two.

The walk back home was silent, and the only time she made conversation with the brown-haired male was to ask if he was alright carrying two bags on him. He softly smiled at her, the way his eyes crinkled and the dimples on his face made her swoon, and genuinely told her that it was no big deal. After that, they ceased talking and instead enjoyed the nature surrounding them.

The front door rusted open, their footsteps padding inside the house. Nobody was home; they checked every room and couldn’t find Nana, yet Crimson half-expected this to happen, and truthfully she was thankful for that. She could faintly smell the sweet aroma of tea wafting from the kitchen.

_Nana must’ve left it for us,_ she mused, drawing towards the kettle on the stove. Luckily, the stove wasn’t on, and she withdrew two cups from the cabinet, ignoring the pain from her sides as her arms flexed up high. She placed the cups on top of the table, and was about to reach for the kettle until Ennui beat her to it.

“Let me,” he said, pouring the tea into the cups, dark eyes watching over the lid of the cup as he drank.

Crimson shuddered, tentatively sipping her own tea as well. She mentally moaned from the sweet taste, downing the beverage in a few swallows while listening to the calls of the barn animals in her backyard.

_They need to be fed._

* * *

 

A deafening screech echoed throughout the shack, the hens all glaring daggers at the red-head trying to reach for their fresh eggs. They even tried pecking at her fingers, though missed every time she held back in time.

Crimson huffed, looking between her empty basket and the hen in front of her in frustration. “Will you stop it? I’ve known you since I was a little girl, so why are you attacking me?”

The hen only clucked at her response, tilting her feathered head at the teen.

“Now, just let me—” the female teen cried out in shock, avoiding the hen’s pointy beak that aimed for the top of her hand. “I give up! Ennui, how are you doing?”

The tall teenager cautiously entered the shack, his shoes creaking across the floorboard as he came closer to the girl with his pail of bird feed. “They’ve been fed. What’s wrong?”

“This stupid hen won’t give me her egg.” The creature gaped at Crimson, not believing she had insulted her. “I’m not apologizing until you play nice, Peck.”

“Peck?” Ennui raised his eyebrow, a faint smile ghosting over his chiseled face.

“She’s a bit of a fighter with that beak of hers,” she explained. “She would injure my hand every time I come to feed the chickens.”

“Here, let me try something.”

Crimson wearily watched Ennui grab a handful of bird feed, anxiously seeing his clenched hand come closer to the moody bird. The hen only stepped closer, as if observing his composed reaction and slow movements with beady eyes. The red-haired girl held her breath when the hen poked at his hand with her tiny head, though she gasped as the creature crooned against his fingers, cuddling against it until the food was dropped in front of her.

“How’d you do that?” She gawked at the hen happily eating her bits, staring back at Ennui. “I’ve tried everything, yet she has never liked me.”

He shrugged, carefully grabbing the shiny white egg and placing it inside her basket. “Don’t know. The same thing happened when the chicks crowded me outside. It’s . . . creepy.”

She openly laughed at his uncomfortable expression, wiping tears from the corner of her eyes and clutching her heaving chest. She gave him an apologetic smile, noticing his deep frown. “I-I’m sorry, but you know it was pretty funny.”

He only gave her a slight smile before helping her grab the remaining eggs.

They walked back towards the house when they finished gathering the rest of the eggs, their shoes crunching underneath the dirt. As they were walking, they noticed a strange noise coming from the wired fence just behind the bushes. Both went to investigate the sound of rattling wires, and Crimson gasped at the black bunny trying to get through the small hole.

“Oh no,” she set her basket down, gently wrapping her fingers around the bunny’s fur to calm it down, glad to see the small thing relax in her hold. “Hang in there, we’ll get you out of there.”

His large hand tugged on the fence, gritting his teeth as he bent the wires, careful not to let the sharp, protruding objects puncture the bunny. He grinned when the creature’s feet scurried out of the fence, jumping into Crimson’s arms and furrowing its head into her chest like a newborn baby.

The female teen smiled, scratching behind its ears and feeling it purr in content. “Hey there, little guy.”

“Does he have a name?” he questioned, rubbing the black fur.

She shook her head, her fingers lightly grazing over his own as they coddled the adorable bunny. Even if the creature frequently visited her farm, she never had the chance to spend time with it due to school, but maybe it was time to call it her own and give it a name.

“Loki,” they both whispered simultaneously, heads snapping at one another in alarm, their eyes intently meeting and ears blocking out the background around them.

And in that moment, Crimson knew it was fate that brought them together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki the bunny is here! XD


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does have an intimate moment, though no smut or anything--just pure fluff :)

The first thing that Nana noticed when she returned home was how close her granddaughter and Ennui have become.

The elder lady kindly waved back at her friends, thanking them for a splendid evening before wobbling her way to the front door as they drove away. Strolling inside the house, she could hear hushed voices coming from the kitchen, followed by laughter. Imagine her surprise when she peeked at the two teenagers smiling at one another on the table, with a black bunny in between the two, and she had never seen Crimson look so peaceful than she did right at this moment.

_He’s changing her for the better,_ Nana happily mused. _It’s nice to see her happy for a change._

“Everything went okay?” The old woman mentally giggled when the two slightly moved away from one another with faint blushes, as if they had been caught in a dirty secret.

Crimson nodded, shyly toying with one of her pigtails, and the gesture reminded Nana of how she would always do that whenever she was uncharacteristically shy or guilty about something. “Yeah.”

“Who’s your friend?” She pointed towards the bunny, going around the table to pet the creature, seeing it nestle closer to her hand.

“Oh, this is Loki,” the red-head happily remarked, raising the bunny higher for Nana to carry.

The elderly abruptly squealed, chuckling afterwards when the bunny nibbled on her finger, its tongue cutely brushing it. “He’s precious!” She gently handed the bunny back to her granddaughter, setting her purse on the counter and walking towards the fridge to grab a snack. “Crimson, I hope you don’t mind, but a couple of folks and I were invited to a wedding this week. I know you have school, so I thought maybe you two could stay alone for a couple days until I get back?”

She thought her mind was playing tricks on her; she reasoned her old age made her see things that weren’t there (most of the time it did), but she swore Crimson’s face fell from hearing the word school coming out of her mouth. But she didn’t think too much of it, especially when the red-head instantly snapped out of her sullen mood and offered her a reluctant smile. “It’s fine,” her granddaughter softly said. “We won’t mind.”

“Thanks, sweet pea. I’ll be leavin’ tomorrow morning. And if you need anythin’, you can call me anytime.”

“Of course.”

When Nana felt her visibly tense from her crushing hug, and hearing Crimson’s brief cry of pain, she reasoned that something was definitely up with Crimson, though she didn’t voice her accusations, fearing the red-head will distance herself from her like last time. Instead, she walked away from them and lounged on the living room couch, trying not to worry about her granddaughter’s odd behavior as she tuned them out with the television set.

 

_That was close._

After her grandmother dozed off in the living room couch, Crimson’s hand immediately rubbed at the sore area surrounding her breasts, feeling the tender skin become bumpy. Luck had been on her side lately; Nana didn’t know about the fight at school, the bruises on her skin, nor her prolonged stay at home instructed by the nurse. She prayed to God for making things easier for her, and for not crushing her grandmother’s frail heart.

After talking with Ennui, the red-head country girl made her way upstairs, going into her room and grabbing her clothes so she could take a bath. Closing her bathroom door, she wasted no time in taking off her shirt, inspecting the pinkish area around her chest, and she expected it to get worse later on if not treated.

_My god._

She touched the warm area over the fabric of her bra, groaning in distaste. If she ever saw Scott again, she would make sure he paid for what he did to her.

Disrobing the remainder of her clothes, she turned on the faucet, letting the water stream down into the tub, feeling its temperature. As she was about to get in, she doubled over in pain, and if she hadn’t steadied herself against the wall she would’ve slipped inside. She loudly cried out, though she brought a fist to her teeth to silence her strangled noise, afraid Nana would hear and check up on her. She heard hurried footsteps enter her room, and her heart wildly beat against her chest, dreading to think she had woken her grandmother.

“I’m fine, no need to come in Nana,” she hissed, clutching her swollen sides.

But it wasn’t her grandmother that had come, instead Ennui’s deep tone came from the other end. “It’s me, Ennui. Are you alright?”

“No . . .” she truthfully said, immediately reaching for the brown towel on the sink counter and wrapping it around her body. “You can come in, I’m decent.”

The door slowly opened, and the male teen entered the bathroom to see Crimson’s pained expression; he connected the pieces together when he glanced at her arms wrapped underneath her chest. He cautiously moved towards her, gently placing his hands on her bare shoulders. “Is it bad?”

She feebly nodded. “I don’t think I can do this alone, and I can’t tell Nana or . . .”

“Hey, it’s alright. We’ll do this together,” he reassured her.

Crimson was glad to have someone like Ennui; he was so caring and gentle with her. Her face turned pink, her fingers trailing over her towel anxiously. She mentally berated that he would have to see her naked in order to wash her; she had never stood bare in front of any boy before, so it felt awkward to her.

_He’s different. He won’t do anything wrong,_ she told herself. With that in mind, she hesitantly unveiled the towel from around her body, closing her eyes on instinct while the thick towel fell on the floor. Goosebumps erupted on her skin, and she curiously wondered what Ennui would think of her.

She jumped from the hand that suddenly grabbed her own, steering her backwards until her feet met the wall of the tub. It trailed over her face, cupping her chin with such tenderness she had to open her eyes and stare into his deep brown ones. Crimson couldn’t get a read on him, and she didn’t know if she should be thankful or disappointed.

He easily helped her step inside, letting her fall into the water on her own, though he held out his arms when she looked ready to collapse. Ennui silently watch her furrow herself deeper into the water, and he briefly made his way over to the opened door, about to close it until something black scurried inside.

“Loki.”

Crimson snapped towards them, softly smiling when Ennui picked up the bunny and placed their beloved friend next to her. She giggled from the bunny’s soft nibbles against her ear, her wet hands withdrawing from the lukewarm water to pick him up. “Looks like someone wants a bath, too.”

She carefully cupped the water inside her palm, pouring it over the bunny’s head, squealing when Loki ruffled out the water, making small drops land on her face. The red-head repeated the process, slightly stilling when Ennui’s hands touched her back, though she relaxed her muscles so he could wipe the sponge over her. Crimson soon found herself enjoying his touch, eyes half-lidded as he massaged the area at the nape of her neck.

Ennui smirked, feeling her tremble underneath his large hands. “You’re ticklish?”

“Yep.” She giggled again when he purposefully repeated his ministration, swatting at his arm playfully. “Ennui . . .”

The pair sat like that for what seemed like half an hour, him calmly washing her while she hummed a soft tune to herself, her fingers weaving inside Loki’s obsidian fur. She took the sponge offered to her so she could finish with the front side, and she handed Loki to Ennui to hold, thinking how cute he was for shyly looking away out of respect while drying the bunny.

After she finished, the red-headed girl nodded for him to help her sit up, wincing from the pain as she stepped out onto the floor mat. She rubbed her moist arms, trying to bring heat back into her body while the cold air encircled her. Crimson smiled brightly at the towel rubbing against her body, leaning closer to the male’s chest as he dried her. Once he was done, she easily put on her underwear and pants, using his strong arm as support, and then shrugging on the black sweater over her torso.

“Thank you, for everything.”

He simply smiled at her before they left the bathroom, and she couldn’t help but fall more in love with him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting yesterday; I accidentally erased the chapter from my document, so I had to retype it X'D
> 
> Anyway, enjoy more fluff coming your way! I also want to inform you that I won't be posting until next Saturday after I finish my ACT in the morning, but I'll be sure to have chapters waiting for you guys :)

The television set blared throughout the dark room, colorful images moving across the screen. The two teenagers huddled on the couch, with the large blanket covering them and with Crimson’s head tiredly nestling on his forearm.

Loki cuddled underneath the blanket, his small head rising from the sheet to intently stare at the screen, twitching against Crimson’s peaceful face.

Once Ennui had refreshed himself with a quick shower, both decided to relax on the couch and surf through the channels, with the volume set to low so they wouldn’t wake Nana. Although, Crimson had fallen asleep during the next programming, and Ennui wasn’t too far behind as his eyes drooped.

A furtive knock against the front door snapped both teens back to life, with Crimson rubbing at her tired eyes while Ennui went to answer it. She exhaled a long sigh, hearing footsteps coming back into the living room. “Who is it?”

“Hi Crimson,” the soft voice whispered, arms immediately hugging the red-head.

“Dawn!” Crimson returned the hug, glad to see her friend payed her a visit. “Why are you here so late—not that I mind?”

Dawn giggled, furrowing inside the couch on the left side of Crimson while the male returned to his seat on her right side. “I was bored all day at school, and I wanted to check up on you. How are you feeling?”

Crimson nodded, shifting a bit so that her best friend can have room to join them. “Fine.”

“Aw, and who is this little guy?”

The red-head smiled as she closely watched her friend scratch at the bunny’s ear, mentally chuckling to herself when Loki incessantly patted his foot against her arm to express his appreciation. His little tongue gently licked her arm, eyes slowly closing to sleep as he rested his tiny black head on her sleeve.

“That’s Loki,” Ennui deeply replied, crossing her arms across his chest and propping his feet on top of the table in front of them to be more comfortable. “We found him this morning stuck in a wired fence.”

The blonde immediately pouted from this sad account, tightly hugging the creature closer to her green sweater. “Poor baby. You must’ve felt so scared. Good thing your parents were there to save you.”

Both Crimson and Ennui blushed from the comment, fumbling over their words as they tried informing Dawn that they were just merely saving him, but somehow they didn’t have the heart to crush her spirits, so they ceased talking and knowingly looked at one another in understanding.

Throughout the rest of the evening, the trio and Loki were wide awake watching some western drama show where the main female character got kidnapped by an outlaw, and the sheriff and the rest of his deputies were trying to rescue her. Everyone laughed when the show revealed the outlaw to be her supposedly dead husband, who was supposedly murdered by the sheriff who wanted to take over his land and wife. In the end, just before the credits, the woman and her husband rode off into the sunset after the grand gunfight with the villain was over.

“Well, that was . . . interesting,” Crimson groggily replied, getting up to turn off the TV set.

Ennui nodded. “Not what I expected, but good.”

Dawn giggled to herself, brushing her long lock behind her ear. “I thought it was cute. Love conquers all in the end.”

Crimson released a long sigh, glancing at the wall clock to find that they had stayed awake until twelve. “We should probably get some sleep . . .”

All three retired to their rooms, and Crimson allowed Dawn to enter her own room, grabbing the camping bags from her closet to sleep in. She let Loki hop off into Ennui’s open room, thinking the male teen wanted some company since he was the only one without a friend to sleep with.

She set her black bag on the ground opposite from Dawn, her head meeting the end of the girl’s sleeping bag as she furrowed within the cover. For some reason, Crimson found herself oddly not tired anymore, and she cautiously peered at her best friend to see if she was awake. “Dawn?”

“Hm?” she softly hummed, wide eyes peeking at her.

“I can’t sleep . . .”

Dawn laughed, using her elbow to support herself as she looked back at her friend. “I’ve noticed, your aura was acting very weirdly.”

“Really? What did it say?”

The blonde girl was lost in thought, poking her polished nail against her cheek. “It’s less sad than before. I see a bit of yellow, so you’re definitely happy about something . . .”

Crimson flushed, hiding her face inside her sleeping bag so Dawn won’t see, though she heard the blonde murmur something about her aura unexpectantly changing pink. She never understood how she did it, but Dawn had a very interesting way in reading people. She just wished that others would appreciate her gifts, but people like Scott always picked on others whom they never understood, which made her mad.

“Crimson, you okay?”

“Huh?” the red-head blinked, blue eyes trying to stay focused on Dawn’s confused face. “Sorry. I’m fine, why would you ask?”

The blonde shrugged. “You seem troubled. You can tell me anything if you like . . . is it because of your parents?”

The country girl sighed, arms going around her forehead as she stared at the empty ceiling. “It doesn’t bother me, to be honest. It’s discomforting to hear that your parents are gone, but I never really knew them, you know?”

“Ah.”

“. . . Actually I was just mad about Scott and what a jerk he really is . . .”

She stopped when she hadn’t heard a single reply from her best friend, and she vaguely wondered if she had stopped breathing altogether; Dawn never made too much noises, and Crimson wondered if she slept like a dead corpse at night. When she turned her head, she gasped out in shock at how close Dawn was, jumping back out of her bag. “Dawn, the heck?”

“Hm, you’re not telling me the entire truth . . .” she offhandedly remarked, as if she hadn’t found it weird to invade her personal space. “There’s more. It’s about Ennui, right?"

 _Crap._ She mentally cursed to herself, hating when her friend got into seeing past her defenses. If anyone knew Crimson better than she knew herself, it would surely be Dawn.

“Yes,” she finally stated.

Dawn quietly squealed, letting her legs slide under her lap so that she was sitting crisscrossed. “I knew it! Was it love at first sight, or did it happen later on? Did you guys stare into each other’s eyes and—”

“Dawn!”

Her friend shrugged, giggling to herself while comfortably going inside her own red sleeping bag. “How cute,” she happily whispered before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

Crimson shook her head, smiling from Dawn’s childish personality. Her friend can have her moments when she wants to be adorable, but even acting like a child she still managed to outsmart everyone she happened to come across, including Crimson herself. _That’s one of the things I love most about her._

But talking to Dawn had turned her thoughts elsewhere, more specifically to the sleeping male across her room. She gently laid her arm underneath her face, listening to the insects chirping outside. Envisioning Ennui’s dark eyes and gentle touch, a soft smile adorned her face while she stared out the window.

Over these past few weeks she has grown to know him, Crimson couldn’t help but wonder what secrets he had, and if he was anything like her. Does he listen to gothic music? Does he have dark clothing that he wears? Does he even love her like she loves him?

 _I have seen him wearing black, though sometimes he wore other colors Nana had with her since his clothes needed to wash._ As for taste in music, she would make a point in asking him next time when they were alone.

But does he love her?

She couldn’t be too sure; sure, they hung out together and had an understanding with one another, but she couldn’t tell if he was only doing this to be nice or if he genuinely liked her. She remembered the way he had beat up Scott just to save her and Dawn, and how he waited for her in the infirmary while walking home afterwards. And then her thoughts strayed towards the barn and how they saved Loki, and he laughing with her at the kitchen table. But most of all, she had felt how gentle he was when he took care of her in the bathroom, and she knew without a doubt that he loved her too.

As soon as the sun comes up, she would finally confront him about her feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> XD Yes!!!


	7. Chapter 7

The rooster crowed outside from its shed once the sun had peeked from the horizon, and Crimson was the first one to get up early. She had barely got any sleep last night, trying to concoct several ways in how she would talk to Ennui once they were alone. She wasn’t going to lie to herself; she felt like hell as she rubbed at her tired eyes, stifling a yawn that wanted to escape her mouth, but the anxiety inside her heart was killing her more than her drowsiness.

Her hands fumbled with the cabinet door, digging for the plate before opening the fridge. Crimson cringed from the blinding light, shielding her face with her hand before reaching the cream cheese besides the butter.

“Crimson?”

The red-head yelped, hand held over her heart as Nana wobbled down the steps all dressed up with light makeup on, a suitcase in her hand. “Nana, you scared me!”

“Sorry sweet pea,” the old woman chuckled, kissing the teen’s forehead before stepping back, worriedly examining the dark circles underneath her granddaughter’s eyes. “You okay?”

“Yeah . . .” Crimson yawned, getting out the bagels from the pantry. “Just had an awful night . . .”

“Alright. Get some rest soon. Oh, before I forget, here is a list of things that I need.” Nana handed her granddaughter the grocery list. “I gotta go now, but if you need me, I’ll be just a call away.”

“Mm-hm.” Crimson hugged Nana, careful not to crush the small elderly before directing her attention back to her breakfast, hearing Nana slam the door shut. She stuffed the note inside the pocket of her pants before getting lost in thought.

 _Ennui, since you’ve moved in with us, I feel like we have this connection . . . No, sounds too cheesy; I’d barf from just hearing that._ She set the lever of the toaster down, her mind directed elsewhere while she smelt the warmth coming from the toaster. _I was wondering if you want to go steady with me? Great, now I sound like Nana._

As the troubled teen went through several scenarios in her head, she hadn’t realized that through her tired state of mind and nervous worries over Ennui the toaster was set to extremely high. Her nose sniffed the air, cringing from the charred odor permeating the kitchen. Her light eyes widened when she realized the smell came from the toaster, and she hurriedly pushed the button to eject the smoked bagels out of the toaster.

“Ugh,” she groaned, careful in taking out the bagels without burning her hand. Crimson hurriedly grasped onto the tips, opening the small compartment underneath the sink to throw the food inside the garbage can.

Footsteps resounded over the stairs, and the red-head mentally prayed that it wasn’t Ennui coming down to inspect the burning odor. Can the smell even reach upstairs under that amount of time?

“Crimson,” Dawn yawned, brushing her messy blonde locks aside. “What happened?”

“Dawn . . . I, uh, burned my breakfast. Sorry for waking you.”

“Its fine,” she brightly smiled, immediately rushing to her side to get a couple of bowls. “We can just have cereal and milk.”

The two best friends sat in silence, munching on their cereals while listening to the barn animals come alive in the morning. The blonde girl kept casting glances at her best friend, wondering why she refuses to speak to her, though she immediately deducted that it had something to do with the male sleeping upstairs, yet she didn’t comment.

“Nana left earlier; she has me in charge of the groceries since she left for the wedding.”

“Yeah, your fridge looks empty,” Dawn offhandedly remarked after finishing her bowl, peering inside the barren fridge with a childish pout. “There are no fruits . . . Crimson, you feel okay?”

Crimson sighed, placing her chin on the palm of her hand. “Truthfully, no. I don’t know what to tell Ennui, and I’ve never—”

“Shhh . . .” Crimson blinked from the sudden finger to her mouth, instantly closing it as she quizzically stared at her weird friend. “Stress is very bad for your aura. You need to take deep breaths.”

“Okay . . .” Crimson nonetheless did as instructed, inhaling and exhaling all of her doubts out of her system. Even if she didn’t voice her opinion, she found that Dawn had been right; all she needed was to breathe out every distraction.

After finishing their breakfasts and changing out of their pajamas, the two girls quietly ventured into town at a local grocery store in order to complete their task. Crimson had sighed when she stared at Ennui’s door, hoping to express her feelings over with, but she would have to wait until he woke up.

The door chimed open, and both friends immediately grabbed a basket before surveying the isles for the foods listed on the flimsy notepad paper. Dawn cutely pushed the cart while getting on top of the small bar underneath the moving object, using her foot to push off from behind. Crimson softly shook her head from her naivety, brushing her pigtail back before grabbing the bag of apples.

Almost their entire cart was full of treats and occasional meats, and the fruits and vegetables Dawn kept reminding her about. They made their way over to the cash register, gingerly placing all of the items onto the conveyer belt for the male to scan. They both thanked him and wished him a happy day before exiting the supermarket.

“You think Ennui is still up?” Dawn asked.

Crimson shrugged. “He sometimes sleeps in, and I bet Loki is too.”

Dawn giggled, swaying with the bags in her arms. She abruptly stopped when three shadows emerged in front of them, wide eyes peering up at the ginger-head and his backup. “Scott!?”

Scott sneered at them, eyeing the grocery bags in their hands. “Whattya got there, hm?”

Crimson gave him the death glare, seeing the male creepily shiver from the sudden cold contact. “If you’re here to torment us again, then you’re sadly mistaken. We have somewhere else to be.”

“Woah, woah, what’s the rush ladies?” Both girls nervously glanced at the two guys caging them in, their escape routes cut off while the red-head calmly encircled them. Crimson was about to rip his arm off when he casually brushed Dawn’s arm, clasping onto the bags in her hand.

“Leave us alone,” the blonde girl whispered, tugging the bags closer to her body.

“Hm? Did you say something, _Dawn_?” He mockly put a hand to his ear before leaning in too close for comfort, fingers trailing over the white collar hidden underneath her baggy sweater. He grinned when the meek girl cringed away from his touch, latching onto her wrist to bring her closer to him while his friends held back the angry goth girl.

“Don’t touch her!” Crimson gasped, clutching her stomach from the sudden blow to her ribs, which were still a bit tender from the incident.

Scott diverted his attention away from the blonde, stepping in front of a crouched Crimson clutching onto her stomach for support. “No one asked you, freak. If it weren’t for your little boyfriend, I would’ve ended you . . . though he isn’t here now, is he?”

Her blood ran cold from the low whisper, hearing Dawn’s pleas pound inside her ears. She shook her head, crawling away from the approaching male, shielding her face at him. But he didn’t touch her, instead Scott cried out from the creature that pounced on his face and started clamping down on his nose.

“AHHH! Get this thing off me!”

His friends all tried clutching at the black bunny attached to their leader’s face, screaming every time the bunny glowered their way. In a heartbeat, they ran away from Scott, all the way past the gas station and towards their respective homes.

“Loki?” Dawn inquisitively asked before she felt Crimson hug her.

“Dawn, you okay?”

She gave a tentative smile, nodding her head in silence. The blonde then pointed behind her friend, seeing Ennui rush towards their aid.

“Ennui—”

Crimson felt her heart fluttered when his arms wrapped around her, relishing in the familiar feel of him as she returned the gesture, softly smiling within his bicep. She faintly blushed when his fingers checked over her face, warmth radiating over her skin from the intimate gesture.

“You’re not hurt, are you? Ribs okay?”

“Y-yeah,” she stammered. “I’m fine, thanks.”

“DAMMIT!”

Everyone turned their heads towards the red-headed male clutching at his bleeding nose, feeling the lumpy mass start to form over the skin. They watched him back away while Ennui mutely went towards him, fists clenching against the fabric of his shirt.

“I thought you learned your lesson,” Ennui lowly replied, eyes narrowing. “Stay. Away. From. My. Friends. Got it?”

Scott fervently nodded, hiding his face in his hands before yelping from being thrown on the ground, and he scurried off before any of them could hassle him.

“Ennui,” Crimson started, tucking her hair behind her ear in anticipation. “Thanks . . .”

“Of course.”

She wanted to say more, how he was her hero for always looking out for her whenever she needed him, how he made her feel something she had never experienced before, yet somehow now wasn’t the right moment to say it; her words died in her throat as they all walked back to the house with the groceries weighing heavily in their hands.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm Floresfire, as you may see. I am now co-writing GothicWolf03's Crimson and Ennui fic with her. 
> 
> Enjoy the fic :)

It was already 9:30 in the morning.

A few hours have passed since Crimson had gotten the groceries with her best friend, and then encountered Scott and the other bullies not a moment too soon. Thankfully, Ennui knew just how to arrive in the nick of time, and their adorable bunny Loki managing to wound the jerk.

_He deserves what life throws at him._

Dawn had left about a half hour ago for school, catching the bus on time before it left without her. The blonde was sad to depart, suggesting to stay home with them and spend more time together, but Crimson reminded her that her teachers would pile up on make-up work. Since it was their last year together, all of their grades would weigh heavily and they couldn’t afford to miss anything. The red-head didn’t want to think about all the work she missed, though she hoped her teachers would be considerate enough to not overwhelm her since they knew about the fight. In the end Dawn relented, tearfully hugging them both goodbye before leaving, though she promised to text Crimson in case she got bored.

Now, the red-headed girl laid curled on the couch with her hands stroking Loki’s fur. She smiled to herself, feeling the little bundle of joy pat against her leg in appreciation. “You like that, huh?”

Loki cutely scrunched up his nose, furrowing his head inside the crook of her arm. Crimson smiled softly at the little guy. 

"Yeah you like it." Crimson scratched behind the black rabbit's ear, making him pat more on her leg. "Loki...you may not understand what I'm saying but...thank you for helping Dawn and I with that jerk." Loki growled remembering Scott and what he was doing to Crimson and Dawn. "Easy there...but you did well on wounding him. He deserved it for everything he done to me in that school.... especially attacking me." Crimson envision what happened to her about a day ago. 

_Crimson was on the ground, being kicked roughly by Scott in the School yard. Crimson coughed fervently when he got her right on her ribs, blood splatted out from her mouth in front of her. Her vision was blurry but she would see her friend tearing up in pain as she kept witnessing her friend being kicked savagely by the ginger douche. "I feel numb..." Crimson said through her mind, she saw Scott extend his foot as she braced herself for another assault._

_"Ahhh!" Crimson soon didn't felt nothing and quickly unsealed her eyes and saw_

_"Ennui?" Crimson witness Ennui collided his fist to Scott's freckled face. Crimson inhaled as much air as she could after what Scott did to her._

_Flashback ended_

_Sigh_ "Loki...Ennui saved me from that gingered face asshole in the school yard...he actually saved me! ...I was so touched by it...I never felt this feeling before in my entire life...I felted...protected in his arms and in his strong biceps...I'm...I'm perhaps in love with him." Crimson cheeked heated from a pure red blushed appeared on her cheek. Loki noticed the red hair farm girl’s face turning all red with her mouth curved into a soft smile that made him look a bit happy for her. Loki hopped from her leg straight to her cheek as he soon patted his head against her cheek. "Hehehehehe, I should be thanking you too, after what you did to Scott." Crimson placed a light kiss onto the bunny's nose that made him twitched his nose and rubbed it a bit.

"Crimson?" Crimson looked at her side and soon covered her mouth from laughing after seeing Ennui all muddy. "Yeah yeah, laugh if you want to."

"Hehehehe...what happened?"

"One of the pigs got out and I tried to put it back in its pen but somehow...it was going after me. It trampled toward me and started to lick me like crazy! It got me all muddy and also my face is wet from it licking." Ennui shivered a bit after he touched his cheek that had the pig's slobber. Ennui noticed Crimson still laughing at him while Loki looked like he was trying to not laugh. Ennui rolled his eyes but smiled a bit at the red hair. Hearing her cute laughter, making him feel something inside of him. "Uh? I'm going to shower alright?"

"Sure, hehehehe." Crimson responded to the tall boy as she still laughed a bit. Ennui walked up the steps and enters the showers. 

Ennui sealed his eyes shut, feeling the warm water attacking his whole body as he sighed in his monotone voice. "That's more like it...but what did I felt after I saw Crimson's laughing..." Ennui kept thinking and soon remember what has happened to him since he first met Crimson.

_"How she felt when I first saw her, when I gave her that ice pack for her wounded leg, when I stopped that douche bag from kicking her more, how I helped her with her bathing...how she felt when I held her in a hug...how she looks so...beautiful with her lovely orange locks in those pigtails...her sweet voice...her heart that I see is a deep black core that make me feel wobbly in my legs"_

"Huh!?" Ennui shook himself from his mind as he notices...his cheek felt like hot coal...he was blushing? "Why did I thought of those...am I, am I....Am I... falling in love...with Crimson?" Ennui felt his heart beating in a strange motion. "I can't be...I only met her just 3 days ago. But in those three days...I saw how she is...her laughter, her soft smile, how we treat Loki well....and how...she somehow blushed when I held her after what happened with Scott just a few hours ago...oh my god, I think...I am in love with Crimson."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back :D Anyway, if you recalled what happened in the last chapter, Ennui realized that he's in love with the orange haired gal known as Crimson...what will happen now...read to found out :D
> 
> Gothic: *eating popcorn, wearing CrimsomxEnnui shirt* Anyone want some? And go Ennui! :D

  It was now 2:50 PM, only a few more minutes til the school day was over and Dawn would return to see Crimson, Ennui and Loki. Crimson was still in the living, resting her head and her bad back on a couch with a cushion while Loki was napping on her chest, using her stomach as a pillow. "Hmm, I wonder what's Ennui doing right now?" Crimson said to herself, wondering what the tall brown haired boy is doing right now.

  Ennui was in the guest room, laying on his bed, looking on top of the ceiling thinking of what he was thinking just earlier this morning. "Do I love her? I mean sure I'm only here until my uncle is all better but...these last three days were...not that bad with her. Heheheheh, she was nervous when we first met, like she didn't even want to be seen by me. When she hurt her leg after dinner, I gave her an ice pack for it to heal. During my first day of school, I stopped that ginger haired freckled douche from hurting Crimson even more...I wanted to protect her from him. Even today, he tried to hurt her and that blond girl...Dawn was it. Yeah, but me and Loki stopped him once again...who knew that black bunny could be a ferocious creature..." Ennui smiled thinking of the small black rabbit that is as well a feared creature somehow. 

  "But Crimson...these last three days....were actually...amazing. It's a shame that when my uncle is all better....I have to go back home then." Ennui sighed depressed and annoyed that he would leave Crimson when his uncle is better. Ennui soon sealed his eyes as he then went to a deep sleep for a little while. Back downstairs, Crimson was asleep as well as Loki until they heard a ringing from the house phone. "Hmm?" Crimson's eye opened from the phone's ringing, she soon got up and walked to the house phone. She quickly notice that it was almost 5 PM. "Whoa, I was asleep for that long?" Crimson soon shrugged and answered the phone. "Evening, who is this?" Crimson soon heard a female voice

  "Hello there, I'm looking for a miss-"

  "If you're looking for my Nana, she isn't here. She left a few hours ago to a wedding. Who is this?" Crimson asked the female who was speaking to her.

  "So sorry but I'm a nurse from the hospital, we have a man in one of our medical rooms, he's....well not doing quite well. He asked us to call this number because...he wants to see his nephew. He said he had enough...he wants to just be done with his life." Crimson looked not shocked but concerned about this man. 

  "Well, what's the boys name?"

The nurse replied, "The man said his name is....Ennui?"

That was when Crimson's eye widened in absolute shock, because of this her hands dropped the phone. The phone fell straight to the floor, the crash of it made Loki wake up in a bit of fright. He ran toward Crimson as she quickly grabbed the phone. "Say that again?" The nurse repeated herself "The man's nephew's name is Ennui...is he there?"

  "Y-Yes...he is...I'll tell him when he wakes up okay. Goodbye." Crimson hanged up the phone and placed it down. Crimson saw Loki looking at her concernedly, she slowly picked up the black furry animal and held him close to her. "Loki...Ennui's not going to like this..."

  "Like what?" Crimson jumped a bit and saw Ennui, looking sleepy still and to Crimson...almost kinda cute. "Who was that on the phone?"

  Crimson looked at Loki and soon said to Ennui, "It was from the hospital...it's about your uncle..."

Ennui looked concerned. "My...uncle? What happened to him?"

  "The nurse told me he...he said that he wanted this all to end."

  Ennui silently nodded, not looking Crimson in the eye. "Can I see him?" This surprised Crimson, who looked up into his eyes. In fact, he seemed a bit, well sad, even if this uncle didn't know him for long. "If you want to...I can come with you, if you want..." Loki also offered to go by scrunching his nose, a sign that meant he agreed to what Crimson said.

  Something warm filled inside his chest, and he sort of realized that it wasn't a bad feeling. Being with Crimson was all that mattered to him, and it made things better now that she would come along with him to watch his relative pass on. "Thanks," he genuinely said. "I'll drive us there." She nodded, balancing Loki in her arms. "The truck is out front. I'll get the keys."

  After driving for two hours, the trio finally arrived at the hospital where Ennui's uncle was. The smell of hospitals always bothered Ennui as he thought about all the times he sprained his ankle, and he had to visit the emergency room to heal it. But this time it wouldn't be to stay for a sprained ankle or any other injury; he was here to make sure he said his goodbyes before his uncle left. So he tried to be brave, ignoring the weird clean smell in the air that seemed too clean for any place to be. "Do they just bleach the walls too? Hehehehe....funny....."

  The nurse smiled at them. "Visiting someone?"

  Ennui nodded.  "My uncle. Is he here? I'm Ennui...by the way."

 "I was expecting you. Room C2, down the left hallway, second room to the right."

 Crimson and Ennui walked down the hallway as instructed by the nurse, stopping when Crimson saw a batch of white roses behind a glass window of an inside store for sale. Ennui bought them out of respect for his now dying uncle, and since white roses were used for funerals he guessed they were...not that bad. "At least they weren't pink or red," he thought with a cringe, "Just like that time...with mom's anniversary."

Crimson noticed the uncomfortable look on his face. "Uh...You okay, Ennui?"

 "Yes...I mean no..." He looked away while holding out the bouquet with the same uncomfortable look.

 "Don't worry, we're right behind you." Loki scrunched his nose and licked Ennui's finger, which almost made Ennui smile. Almost.

  The first thing they noticed when they opened the door to the room was the machine hooked to the man. The tubes coming out of his nose almost made him appear like an alien of some kind, and they sat down in chairs across from him. "Man he looks worse...bruises all over his face and he isn't breathing much. Was it a bar fight?" he thought, still seeing no response from his uncle. Though the line moving across the EKG moved up and down meaning he was still alive but they were slowing down. He suddenly felt a hand move over his, looking back at Crimson.

 "I know what you might be feeling. People have black holes opening in their chests when a family member dies...I didn't have that when my parents were gone in a car crash. Guess I'm weird, huh?"

 "You're not...You're the coolest person I ever met." Crimson hid the blush across her face as she stroked Loki's fur. Ennui moved away very awkwardly, wondering where that had come from. "But it's true, she is the best. Is this a bad time to tell her? Death can sometimes blossom into something beautiful...."

 The nurse walked in before Ennui had a chance. "Okay I reviewed the paperwork. Too many alcohol in his body, he could possibly die of poisoning. We had to sedate him hours ago because he disturbed the other patients." Crimson nodded in understanding. "So...he won't make it?"

 "No, I'm sorry. He should be waking up soon. Plenty of time to say goodbye." The nurse sadly smiled then left the room.

 The two teenagers waited and waited for what seemed like forever, almost falling asleep. But when they heard groaning both of them opened their eyes to look at Ennui's uncle waking up.

 "Uncle?" Ennui scooted next to him.

 "Ennui....glad you came...." The uncle said, giving a few hacks. "Is that Crimson?"

  Crimson waved back to the uncle but didn't know if she should interrupt the moment if she joined in. So she decided to sit back and cuddle with Loki for a while and watch the two in silence.

"Yeah....her and Nana are great, really nice people."

 "I'm glad. There's not much time left before..." The uncle gave another loud cough which showed the burst of heart activity on the monitor, "I let you down, boy. I regret not being....not being...."

  Ennui shook his head. "I understand. Things happen for a reason...I forgive you."

  "Thank you....That means a lot...." He looked over Ennui's shoulder to Crimson. "Take care of my nephew, you hear?"

  "O-of course...." She glanced down at Loki, petting his tiny head as a distraction from feeling down.

  "And you," the uncle gestured for Ennui to come closer so that Crimson wasn't able to hear, "she's a special one....look out for her as well...."

 The loud noise from the EKG buzzed in their ears and Ennui's uncle finally closed his eyes as he fell back on the bed. There was no pulse left when Ennui touched his wrist, and he swallowed back the lump in his throat as he felt at peace with himself. "Hope you find peace as well, uncle. And I will protect her."

  "Oh dear..." The nurse rushed to the bedside and took him aside. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

  "No worries. I'm glad we had the chance to talk..."

  Crimson stood up with Loki hopping over to Ennui. She took the white roses and handed them to the nurse. "You can keep them..."

  "Thank you."

  The red-head noticed how Ennui refused to get up as she watched him pet Loki. Before they came into the room there was something he had wanted to say to her, but now it didn't seem to worry her. The only thing she hoped was for Ennui to get better soon, and she would gladly help him through the process whatever it takes.


End file.
